2008 Institutional Report
Reporting Institution
University of Victoria , School of Earth and Ocean Sciences (SEOS)
Representative
Stan Dosso, (250) 472-4341, sdosso@uvic.ca
Program/Course Changes
Starting in the summer of 2007, we began offering a new Ocean Sciences Minor program, designed to emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of oceanography in a program that is accessible to any student interested in science. The Minor can be taken alongside any regular program as it is intended to enhance, rather than replace, a student's prime disciplinary studies. Core courses in biological, chemical, geological, and physical oceanography are offered over a single intensive summer term that includes at-sea fieldwork as an important component of the program. Course enrollments were about 16-20 in 2007, but are lower for this coming summer.
Over the past two years we have carried out a thorough review of our undergraduate programs, with the goal of improving/updating content with a greater emphasis on an Earth Systems Science approach, simplifying our combined programs with other departments, and increasing flexibility and student choice. The following major changes come into effect in the 2008/09 academic year:
(1) Introduce new course EOS 260 Earth System Evolution through Deep Time , and remove CHEM 222 Inorganic Chemistry.
(2) Replace EOS 310 Igneous Geology and 320 Metamorphic Geology with new courses EOS 316 Igneous and Metamorphic Geology and 416 High-temperature Petrology .
(3) Replace EOS 430 Isotopes in Earth and Ocean Sciences , currently an elective course, with EOS 335 Isotopes in Geosciences , which will be a required course with similar content.
(4) Introduce EOS 365 Climate and Society as an elective course that can be taken by students in any program. Remove elective EOS 360 Evolution of Life through Time .
(5) Replace our two combined programs with Geography (Geoscience and Geotechnic) with a single program that includes the flexibility/choice to encompass both of the old programs. With an appropriate selection of courses, this program can fulfill the APEGBC Professional Registration academic requirements for registration as a Professional Environmental Geoscientist.
(6) Replace the two streams of our combined program with Biology (Paleontology and Environmental) with a single more flexible program.
Staffing
Allison Rose joined SEOS as a part-time secretary with responsibilities including graduate student administration.
Enrolment Trends
(1) A total of 1286 students took Earth and Ocean Sciences (EOS) courses in 2007/08, essentially the same as last year (1289).
(2) A total of 90 students were enrolled in EOS undergraduate degree programs in 2007/08, representing a significant increase over an enrollment of about 70 over the past three years.
(3) The enrollment in our third-year “outreach” courses designed for non-science students has decreased significantly over the past 5-6 years.
(4) A total of 73 graduate students are currently enrolled in EOS programs; this number has been remained relatively stable over the past few years.
Facilities
Construction is nearly completion on the new Ocean, Earth and Atmospheric Science Building that will see all of SEOS personnel (currently dispersed over seven locations on campus) brought together in one building which will also include new classrooms and teaching laboratory space. The move is planned for August.
Issues/Challenges
(1) Increasing overall student enrollment. SEOS has been identified as having one of the lowest student/faculty ratios at UVic, which puts us under increased pressure.
(2) Accommodating our share of the $4.2M budget cut imposed on UVic by the BC Government.